


Pride and Money

by kitsunerei88



Category: Numb3rs
Genre: Canon doesn't make sense sometimes, Character Study, Gen, Lawyers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-13
Updated: 2013-03-13
Packaged: 2017-12-05 04:56:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/719121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitsunerei88/pseuds/kitsunerei88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robin’s only failed at one thing in her life. For LJ Comm: numb3rs100, Prompt # 168: New York</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pride and Money

_Nothing._ A younger Robin Brooks stared emptily at the phone in her hand, listening without hearing as her contact at Skadden Arps nattered on about how they really were very sorry, and they really enjoyed talking to her, but they wouldn’t be able to hire her this year. _Thirty-five applications, six interviews . . . and nothing._ She’d done everything right – good grades, Harvard Law, two summers at the community legal clinic, and nothing. Cleary, Freshfields, Cravath, David Polk, Paul Weiss, and even her favourite Skadden Arps . . . nothing. Hanging up the phone, she threw the entire cursed contraption across the room, curled up in her bed, and bawled.

She started her third year of law school without a job.

Fifteen years later, Robin Brooks is a successful federal prosecutor. As her old classmates bill 2400 hours a year, make partner and close deals worth millions, Robin puts criminals in jail. She begins landing big cases with media attention, and that’s when an old friend, now partner at Skadden Arps, calls her.

“We have a spot opening in our commercial litigation group,” he tells her. “I think you’d be great for it. It’s everything you always wanted.”

Robin lights up. Finally, finally . . . she can join her classmates in New York, she can stop being a failure. She can stop being jealous of their fancy houses and cars and six-digit salaries. She can finally live up to the Harvard Law reputation. 

But on the plane flight to New York, it hits her. _Don would never understand._ Giving up the cause of justice for, well, pride and money. Pride that wouldn’t let her live down her only failure in life, and lots of money. _What the hell was I thinking?!_

Robin throws the interview and goes home.

**Author's Note:**

> There is a scene in S4 or S5 where Robin goes to New York to interview with Skadden Arps. It makes no sense because Skadden is a corporate law firm and they wouldn't be interested in Robin at all. Criminal prosecution is miles away from corporate work, and it actually makes no sense unless you interpret it the way I've done here.
> 
> A lot of this fic was inspired by my experiences as a law student in the firm hiring process. It hardcore sucks when all your friends have jobs going into third year and, well, you don't. 
> 
> Written circa December 2011.


End file.
